


Wisdom & Courage

by ArrowheadProductions



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Best Friends, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Games Will Be Tagged, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Love Triangles, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Personal Growth, Post-Canon, Romance, Soulmates, Teenage Dorks, Timeline What Timeline, True Love, Zelink Everywhere, ratings will vary, through the ages
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2019-10-07 04:46:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17359235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArrowheadProductions/pseuds/ArrowheadProductions
Summary: No matter the time, place, or circumstance, it always comes back to the Hero & the Princess of Hyrule.





	1. Armored Vows

**Author's Note:**

> It was only a matter of time until I made a series of one-shots for these literal soulmates. The ratings are going to be specified per chapter as well as which Link and Zelda the story pertains to!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All they've ever known was the sky, but a new kingdom is not all that lies on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Era: Post Skyward Sword
> 
> Rating: G
> 
> Note: It's a love triangle (but not really)!

Remaining on the surface required some adjustments. For as much as Zelda had previously yearned to continuously feel solid ground beneath her feet, she did occasionally miss the fast-paced thrills of living amongst the clouds. Link did not feel such yearnings, because honestly, the whole practice stirred something inside his stomach that healers referred to as "motion sickness", but that didn't mean he wasn't going to go along with Zelda every time she needed a break from the world they were busy cultivating. 

Still, she was very dedicated to protecting the Triforce, as she promised. Every time he looked at her, it seemed she was ethereal. The sun beaconed down on her and light seemed to embody her entire being. She worked hard to preserve the safety of the universe. She never gave herself much credit for it, always placing that success on him and Fi, but Link knew better. The way her blue eyes glittered every time she laid eyes on the glowing triangle spoke volumes.

Zelda didn't only have holy responsibilities, but political ones as well. Now that she was 18, her father was considering placing her in a leadership position. Link didn't blame him. Ever since their feet hit the ground, Zelda took immediate and graceful charge. It was as though destiny guided her towards it. Gaepora might have not been the leader of all of Skyloft, but since Zelda was the first to touch down on what laid beneath the cloud barrier, that meant they were the official claims. Skyloft wasn't big enough to constitute as a kingdom, but everyone unanimously agreed that they were having growing pains and required more space. 

 _"It shall be called Hyrule."_ Zelda said to him one morning after she'd gone over zoning plans for the millionth time. 

 _"Shouldn't it be Lorule? Since it's on the ground?"_ Link asked around a sandwich.

She giggled.  _"No, silly. It's after Hylia. If not for her, Demise might have been successful in his plans."_

He wondered if she would ever accept that it was not just Hylia, but that it was her doing as well. Sure, having the attributes of a Goddess undoubtedly increased everything spectacular about Zelda. However, before that, Link already thought she was spectacular. She was his best friend in life and he went to the ends of his earth and onto a new one to find her; not some Goddess incarnate- her- the person. He liked the girl that giggled as she was telling a joke and then slipped into laughing too hard to actually tell the joke. He liked the girl that challenged him to races and beat him every time (in the sky- Link definitely bested her on land). He liked the girl who left notes with smiley faces and used to draw mustaches on him when he fell asleep. The beautiful part was, Hylia allowed Zelda to remain her truest self and to grow into a respectable leader. 

As for Link, he had his own private quarters in the small community they'd already established. Workers were busy constructing a much larger facility out of stone. Rumor had it, it was going to be a castle and a corresponding town for all of the soldiers, dignitaries and their families. Link knew this was a good sign for a growing kingdom and if plans went as Zelda and her advisors talked about them, Hyrule would be something meriting exploration. He liked the sound of that, but there was something to appreciate about the simplicity of his cavern. He'd of course graduated from the academy for his efforts in rescuing Zelda and defeating Ghirahim and Demise. 

He wasn't doing much knightly business lately, but he did see a lot of Zelda, which was a relief. He worried she might get too busy for him, but it was just the opposite. She was always ready to utilize his expertise on the land, considering he'd spent the most time exploring it of all of them. It was up to him to create a map for travelers. 

 _"And when the troops join us, you will be their leader."_ Gaepora announced gruffly. 

Owlan blanched.  _"But he's so..."_

Young? Short? Skinny? It could have been any answer and it would have fit into the mouth

_"Overly qualified? Yes. I agree."_

_"He just graduated and not by completing the courses, might I add."_ Horwell sighed,  _"But for what he lacks in classic training, he redeems himself in experience."_

Owlan considered this.  _"He should be monitored."_

Gaepora nodded.  _"I agree. Link? How do you feel about Owlan and Horwell being your personal advisors?"_

Link could only nod dumbly, unsure what he did to receive such an honor. He did not feel qualified to train an entire army nor did he feel worthy of having his former teachers working with him. He could tell that they, particularly Owlan, had possibly sought out this as a promotion of their own. What right did he have to it? No part of what he did was for any duty or attempt at doing his job. He hadn't even been thinking like a knight! He'd been thinking like a friend.

 _"You doubt yourself."_   Gaepora said.

_"I do not understand why I am... Worthy of this. Being a knight is one thing, but leading?"_

_"You saved the future."_

_"Zelda did."_

_"You both did."_ He affirmed.

 _"But I didn't do it for the possibility of all of this."_ Link gestured to the castle that was slowly and surely forming around them.  _"I did it for her. And not the Goddess. For Zelda."_

There was a twinkle in Gaepora's eyes.  _"I know, and as a father, I cannot thank you enough. And as... Well, as your Headmaster, I saw what you were able to accomplish and it is that level of quick thinking and instinct that I want leading my army. Plus, you know the area, you communicate well with others, and you're loyal. Why wouldn't you be the right choice?"_

Link didn't have a verbal answer. He knew after a while, it was going to start to be insulting if he continued doubting himself in front of a superior. It seemed his desire to melt away and live a quiet life in a new land was not happening for him after all. Oh well, he would take this new responsibility to heart. Even if he was young, short, and skinny, he would diligently maintain and hopefully surpass the high expectations Gaepora placed on him. It was a great honor, after all, and it was important to ensure that Hyrule would be a safe nation. 

The threat of future torture for his bloodline was a bit haunting, but that drove him all the more into training. 

* * *

It was a warm afternoon. Link adored the weather of the land. It was ever changing with rain, snow, wind, and sun, but it was interesting to him to have changing climates and to have an environment so affected by its weather. Plus, it was generally much warmer in Hyrule than in the Skyloft. He never thought of himself as a man who would wear short sleeved tunics or breeches, but sometimes the sun was a bit too intense for the thicker layers he was accustomed to. His ears and his cheeks were rarely rosy pink too, because the wind just didn't beat on them as they did up high. 

After his scouting the surrounding areas and Zelda's latest extensive meeting with the elders, the two decided to go for a nice walk around the castle grounds. It was coming along nicely and seemed like a suitable mark of power. He liked the town that was sprouting up more though, as it seemed to add new life to the world. It was still a bit odd seeing friendly faces from above inhabiting a once barren area. Well, maybe not barren. The plants and the animals were certainly lively in their own way. Link actually got more joy from overlooking the lush horizon of opportunity than from what they'd physically accomplished.

Zelda looked at that very horizon, where a large tree towered in the distance.

"They want to establish a monarchy." She said it like it was a big secret, but Link had assumed as much.

"With kings and queens and all that?" 

"The very same." 

"You don't sound happy about it."

He did not understand why she wouldn't be. She'd been spearheading this development, hadn't she?

"I'm not unhappy." She clarified. "Just... Wary?"

"I thought this was everything you wanted."

She locked onto his gaze and for a moment, he thought the conversation might got elsewhere. Like maybe, Hyrule wasn't the only thing she wanted. He couldn't tell if he hoped or feared it would go that way.

Instead, she sighed. "It is. It- It's beautiful and I love being down here. I knew there would be government and I've been encouraging it, actually. I just thought it would be something more... Something more democratic? I don't know. I suppose my father knows a bit more about leadership than I ever could, but we've never had an established governance before. After seeing what power can do... I worry if the wrong person claims the throne."

"Well, who are they thinking of to lead?" He asked. "Your father?"

Zelda wrung her hands together- something she always did when she was nervous. Link could remember Zelda doing it during presentations at school or strangely, when she'd asked him to go for a fly. Still, whatever plagued her mind must have been a doozy, for it was written in her eyes too. Where there was usually bounds of optimism and hope, there was uncertainty and nervousness. Did she not believe that her father and the ceremony leader could arrange a suitable government for the developing kingdom of Hyrule? It was odd to think of their population spreading across an entire land, but surely other races that already existed on this earth would populate as well. Or maybe, that is what she feared? Maybe she feared that they would not get along with their neighbors. Link couldn't see how! The Gorons seemed kind and welcoming to the space they'd long inhabited and Zelda, herself, became good friends with Gorko. The Mogmas, while a little wacky, were overall very friendly and Ledd even offered to be a representative for their people should they ever need one. Imagining Ledd in a court of any fashion was a bit humorous, but there was nothing to outright fear. As for the Kikiwis, they were completely harmless. Skittish, but harmless no less.

"The elders seem fixated on divine intervention and when it was brought to a vote, no one could argue with it. Everyone loves the sound of being a kingdom loyal to its namesake."

Link's lips rounded. "Oh."

She released a breath she'd been holding. "Despite my protests that I'm too young, it seems it will be final. I'm to be the first Queen of Hyrule. My bloodline shall be deemed royal from here on out so that my children and my children's children and so on will continue the mantle. Since the power of the Goddess exclusively reflects in girl's, it shall be the oldest daughter that takes the helm after her ancestor."

Link's mind raced in many different directions. Not only did her father intend on her holding a leadership position, but  _the_ position of leadership. He could understand her apprehension possibly better than anyone. He didn't think he was ready to be the Head of the Royal Guard. It didn't feel like the same weight of pressure in comparison to what Zelda had on her shoulders, but it was ever present. It didn't cause him to buckle as he thought it would. He was learning every day and she would too.

She would make a marvelous Queen. 

He knew it in his bones. Not just because of her own heroics during their quest, but because of who Zelda was becoming as a person. It was a lot, because he could only imagine how under the scope she was suddenly feeling. Her burgeoning council was already discussing her children for Goddess' sake! It was a weight she never had before and he hoped it would not dull the brightness of her eyes. Then again, this girl was stronger than that. He knew what she was capable of and would never leave her side.

"Do you want to lead?"

"I..." She opened and closed her mouth. "I'm not sure I'm ready. or the correct choice. People seem to forget I'm still a person."

"I've never forgotten."

"No," She smiled softly, "You haven't. I understand that this kingdom needs a leader, but I'm young and I'm not about to pretend I have any experience on the matter."

"I don't think anyone from our world does." He pointed out.

"No, but any of the elders would be better suited at least for the meantime. I've been dying to know what you think, Link. Do you think I'm fit to run an entire kingdom? I mean, I'm just Zelda deep down. I don't feel vibrant or special."

After considering this for a moment, he nodded. "The kingdom should go to your family, but maybe you can convince your new council to allow your father to rule for the time being. Until you feel you are ready."

"That would give me a little time to learn."

"And by the way," He smiled at her encouragingly. "You were never  _just_ anything. You've always been remarkable."

A blush graced her cheeks and Link felt his chest rise in pride.

"So, you have no qualms of having your childhood friend suddenly becoming royalty? What if I choose to make you the court jester?" She teased.

He carefully unsheathed his sword and for a moment his mind drifts to Fi when it blinks just once in the sunlight. She doesn't speak, but he can sense her agreement on this matter.

He stuck the Master Sword into the ground and dropped to one knee.

Zelda's eyes widen only slightly and her hand reaches out to cover his hand that gripped the hilt of the sword. "Link..."

"I, Sir Link- Head of the Royal Guard, proclaimed Hero of the Sky, pledge my faith, allegiance, and time to you, Zelda, future Queen of Hyrule. I swear to the Goddess that I will remain true to you and to the Kingdom of Hyrule and shall lay down my life if need be."

Her hand tightened around his and she swallowed thickly. 

He looked up to meet her eyes, which were noticeably glassy beneath her bangs. 

"My life is yours, my Queen." He said quietly. "Even if you make me a jester."

"Rise, Sir Knight." 

He immediately obeyed, but slowly rose to his feet. Her hand hadn't moved from where it was.

"Do you swear to offer me honest council?"

"Yes." He said.

"Even if we disagree or the truth might upset me?"

He hesitated, but only for a moment. He never wanted to make Zelda unhappy, but moreover, he understood how important it was to be honest with your truest of friends. A friend might always agree, but a best friend offered truth of heart no matter the circumstances. He just had to believe that they could work through any of it.

"Yes."

"And you vow to never place your feelings for me above the good of the kingdom?"

Link felt himself gasp, because there was so much to unpack from that question. For one thing, did Zelda truly just acknowledge that he had feelings for her without so much as batting an eye? Second, how could she ever expect him to agree to such a thing? Hyrule was barely seeded as a true kingdom. He would choose Zelda every single time over any of it and he knew that in his bones. It was why he doubted himself so much as the leader of the Guard. It didn't seem right that the kingdom was most obviously not his first love. 

But he knew what his first love wanted. He knew what she needed. She loved this land more than anything in the entire universe- more than she could ever love him, possibly. Yes, it was new, but it was to be hers and she had divinity in her blood. She wasn't just Zelda all the time. She was the Goddess incarnate too. He needed to make peace with having both parts in his life. Both were brave and admirable in their own way, but now they were one. 

"I vow to try." He said finally.

She seemed satisfied with that answer. Wholeheartedly agreeing would have been a lie and disappointing her was not an option for him either. He couldn't truly face how selfish it might sound. 

"And I vow," She placed her other hand over where his heart lay beneath his skin. He could feel it picking up the pace. "That no matter what, I will always be your Zelda."

He covered her hand with his own and smiled. "That is all I could ever ask."

He could feel that unspoken gravitational pull once again and just as he contemplated on giving into it, he was pulled sideways and away from Zelda into a big hug, which became increasingly squished as Zelda was taken into the embrace as well. He craned his neck up and around to see none other than Groose digging his broad chin into Link's head.

"It seems I caught both of you with your heads in the clouds this time." He squealed. 

"Groose?" Zelda's voice came out muffled since she was pressed again Groose's chest. "I can't breathe."

He released them immediately (Link a little rougher) and bowed only slightly at Zelda. "Please accept my sincerest apologies. I suppose I got a little carried away. Can you believe it? I'm moving down here too!"

"No kidding!" Zelda smiled. "Well, welcome to Hyrule."

He bowed again and took her hand in his. "And is it true what I heard around the rumor mill? You will be Queen?"

She nodded. "Maybe not right away, but eventually, yes."

"And  _you_..." He turned his glance to Link. "Hero of the Sky and now Head of the Guard? Don't you own enough hats? Groose doesn't wear hats, because hats will damage the 'do."

"What will you be doing here?" Link asked.

"Mostly transport." He said. "Might as well put my incredible skills to good use, right?"

"Absolutely." Zelda beamed. "I'm glad you're here."

Link nodded. Despite their differences (or one big similarity), he and Groose ultimately ended up on good terms in the end. There were still those little moments where he showed tinges of jealousy towards Link, but his affections for Zelda seemed true and aside from his past-tendency to cheat, he was not malicious. For this, he did not hate him. In fact, it was probably good to have his personal rival on the same playing field as him again. 

"Glad to be here, my dear." He winked.

Okay, Link didn't love  _that_ aspect, but he decided the pros ultimately outweighed the cons.

The three of them gazed out at Hyrule field where workers were busy building houses, shops, stables, inns, and more. The reality of the day was bright, but the promise of tomorrow held even higher accord. No matter what came at them, they would be ready.

They had to be.

As if echoing his thoughts, Zelda smiled. "I just hope we make a place where our children can flourish and happily grow old."

He knew Zelda was just referring to all of their respective children, but Groose didn't seem to pick up on that and puffed out his chest before smoothing out his hair again in satisfaction. 

"And many children there will be." He gave Link a look that was supposed to convey victory or something, but he was unfazed by Groose's attempt. He was especially unbothered since Zelda had exclusively threaded her fingers with Link's and gave him a confident squeeze.

When he met her eyes, it was his turn to blush. 

Well, he thought she meant them as individuals.

"I hope so too." He said softly.


	2. Dead Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda makes a change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Era: Post-BOTW
> 
> Rating: G (If you squint you'll see some suggestive content)
> 
> Note: It's the haircut fic, folks!

She hadn't even mentioned it to Link. She thought it was such a frivolous, inconsequential thing that it needn't be brought up. He didn't seem bothered by such cosmetic details. Last week, Bolson of the construction company was flaunting a new wig to cover his bald spot. Everybody in Hateno complimented him for it except Link, who was too concentrated on practicing sword disarming techniques. Zelda had to force him to go over there and say something as to not hurt the sensitive man's feelings. 

He seemed much more enthralled with her research anyway, hanging onto every one of her words without wavering the slightest. That's typically what poured out of her mouth like a flowing river. 

She'd barely given it too much thought herself, actually. One day, she was detangling her hair after climbing a pine tree to get samples and grunting at the utter ridiculousness that grooming could be. She wasn't even sure why she did it anymore. She was a Princess merely by technicality these days and in the event that she must claim the throne, this wasn't the same kingdom of expectations around her. There were towns to rebuild and memories to reconstruct. Nobody cared what she did with her hair. 

So, she opened the desk drawer and retrieved a pair of silver scissors. 

Zelda did have fond memories with her longer hair too, of course. She used to love those late nights when her mother would slowly and meticulously run a brush through her hair while humming lullabies. Zelda scarcely ever made it too far into the song before falling asleep. When she was 12, she became obsessed with the nature of braiding her hair and flushed with pride when Urbosa told her that her hair was destined for beautiful things. Her hair was strangely how she identified with the other Zelda's. From what she understood, they all had longer hair. If she couldn't match them in power or in strength, at least she had the visual portion down.

Her gaze at herself grew steely. 

"The visual portion? Oh, you sound like such a child. Who cares about any of that, anyway?" And without a third thought, she raised the scissors to her hair and snipped a long tendril down to the length of her chin. 

Her green eyes widened in surprise at the conviction of her actions. It looked good. It _felt_ good and more satisfying than she could ever articulate. 

It felt a lot like freedom. A slow smile appeared across her features and she repeated the action again and again, doing her best to make it as even as possible around her head. After all, while she shouldn't be mourning the loss of something that could grow back, that didn't mean she needed to walk around town resembling the village idiot.

Freedom from expectations- **_snip_** \- freedom from confinement- **_snip_** \- freedom from that  _damn_ castle- **_snip_** \- and that beast- **_snip_** \- and the Goddess- **_snip_** \- and self doubt- **_snip_**. 

When the damage was done, she simply could not stop running her fingers through it, brushing them along the ends that felt like a fresh paintbrush. Oh, was  _that_ what if felt like to have one's neck touch air? It was positively marvelous! No more piles of hair to maintain, no more getting her hair caught in armor when training, no more hassle and much less hair drying. It seemed foolish on the surface, but she couldn't help but feel pride of her handiwork. 

* * *

Everyone in town seemed to agree. On her way to the market, Zelda couldn't go a few feet without someone making a positive comment in regards to her hair. It reminded her not as much of her own appearance, but that change could be good and that the people of Hyrule were in a position of appreciating that. She knew it was wrong to seek silver linings in a cataclysm, but she couldn't help but see how everyone seemed to thrive in the midst of all the negative transformation. People still found love and life and happiness amidst it all. Zelda just hoped this was her first step in taking a page from their book.

After being stopped a few more times with compliments, she finally managed to make it back to Link's-  _their_ \- little house with the necessary items to bake a pie. She felt they deserved it. Link had been so patient with her over these past few months, ailing to her grievances and supporting her endlessly (even if this meant he got sick from one of her elixirs) even if he owed her absolutely nothing. As for herself, she wasn't a liar, she was celebrating the haircut. She told herself it was the symbolism of change involved with it, but she also really liked it.

When she walked through the door, she truly did not expect to garner any reaction at all from Link. Typically, he moved silently about the house tending to whatever chore or project he saw fit. She suspected he got very used to spending time alone in this house and developed his own routine. She never felt ignored in the slightest. Maybe she might have oh so many years ago when she was young(er) and impetuous. Now, she understood him and his necessity to be quiet at times. He spoke when necessary and was very calculative of what came from his mouth. 

So, when Link dropped an entire bag of flour upon seeing her, causing it to puff into the air and coat his entire front, she was just as surprised as he was apparently.

"Link!" She gave him a concerned stare. What on earth had gotten into him? He was the most agile person she'd ever met.

He didn't answer, naturally, but just stared at her long and hard. His mouth fell a little agape and she thought he might speak up, but she should have known better by now that words didn't always come to him as freely as they did her. It was these types of looks that used to enrage her, their silence slowly suffocating her. Now, she was aware she was simply projecting, but in this moment, she did feel discomfort.

"Say something, please?" She had to remind him sometimes, that while he needed silence in his times of strife, she appreciated words in hers. They both tried to sway which ever way necessary. That came with the territories of cohabitation.

"You cut your hair." He said plainly.

She raised a hand to the ends of her fresh cut. "You noticed?"

He furrowed his brow. "How wouldn't I notice? Your hair used to pass your waist."

She rolled her eyes. "Last week with Bolson you didn't even notice a large orange wig on his head."

"Well..."

"And before that, Paya got a brand new cloak and you said nothing then!"

"Okay-"

"Lady Riju dyed her hair and you didn't even blink!"

"They're not you, though." He cut in rather brashly, which was unlike him all together. He stepped closer to her and through the sheen of white powder, she could see a notable pink hue spreading across his cheeks and to the tip of his ears. 

It was moments like this where she remembered why her heart only stuttered for one boy in the entire world. He might have been simple on occasion and she'd met monsters more tame than him at times, but he was naturally like this. He was completely himself. 

She chuckled and reached out in a weak attempt to brush some of the flour from his face. Ever a slick one, he captured her hand and held it in place against his face, pressing a kiss to the inside of her palm to emphasize his point that his eyes were always open when it came to her. She'd be a liar to say a blush of her own didn't make surface.

"Well, what do you think?" She asked, turning her head a little so he could have a full look. 

Again, Link looked confused. "You look beautiful."

"I'd rather you not sound so surprised when you say that." She winced.

He shook his head and laughed. "No, I mean, I thought it was obvious. I'm covered in flour."

She laughed too. "You're a mess, you know that, Hero?"

He nodded and ran a hand through her cropped hair, mesmerized by her. 

"And you're getting flour in my hair. You better get this off of you before you create a bigger mess."

A devilish grin and a mischievous glint in his eyes should have told Zelda to run, but she stayed put, which made her the victim of a bear hug that brought her face first into his chest and by default, face first into flour. Being enveloped against him entirely was usually a very pleasant experience, but she knew his motives and that she was now sufficiently covered in flour as well. He even pressed his face into her newly exposed neck and nuzzled whatever remained on his face to be transferred to her.

"This is  _not_ what I had in mind and you know it!" 

His laugh racked against her chest in a way that tickled her, but he still didn't move away from their current positioning.

"I like it a lot, but that matters nearly not as much as what you think of it." His mouth moved intricately up the column of her neck, feather-light and not quite kissing her per say, but as he spoke his lips brushed differently each time. Zelda, in spite of herself, naturally wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him there, a sigh settling over her. She was a fool to assume Link wouldn't notice, given how constantly in tune to her he was. If this wasn't typically physically beneficial for her anyway, she might have been more annoyed about it.

"I like it. It's-" Her breath hitched as she felt his hot breath against the spot just beneath her ear. "It's practical for training and it'll be less to manage. I've never been allowed to have it short before and... I think it suits me."

"It's very cute." 

"Well, I should hope so, since we lost a whole bag of flour over it." 

"You brought this upon us." He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Her mouth dropped. "You're the one who can't seem to control his own actions!"

He said nothing and moved seamlessly to cover her mouth with his own. Zelda sank into it as one would settle into bed after a long day's work, the potential for a pie long forgotten from her mind. Her hands fell to his waist while his mindlessly played with the ends of her hair. Had she known it was going to garner this type of reaction, she might have cut it sooner. 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Forbidden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She had a duty to commit to. That was supposed to be what she wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Era: Post-Twilight Princess
> 
> Rating: E

Zelda had forgotten what it'd been like before... Before she had such duty to her kingdom... Before the Twili invasion... Before everything came crashing down all around her. She'd used to be a happy girl, by her own recollections, but all of that fell on the back-burner the moment it was decreed that she would be Queen. She'd seen her mother rule in the past and it had been seamless for her. She accepted the gift of the Goddess, married a man assigned to her, gave the world an heir, and died gracefully. She didn't even blink a single regret nor did she have to sacrifice her warmth to achieve it all. Nobody dared to refer to her as an Ice Princess...

But Zelda was not her mother, try as she might, and she steadfastly learned that shutting herself down was no longer an option. This became incredibly obvious when the Royal Council declared that it was high time Zelda found herself a suitor. For the first time in what felt like forever, she felt something pierce through her chest. It wasn't the pain she'd experienced while her kingdom was perishing to darkness. No, it was something intrinsically just hers. It was a pain not out of obligation, but of pure instinct. 

And it hurt. Terribly.

For despite her greatest efforts and devotions, she could not tear her mind away from the small town Hero of Ordon. He was under her skin and they were bound by time and fate, after all. She wondered if the others before her felt such a magnetic pull to their heroes. None of them, to her knowledge, had been allowed to love them. It was still a hierarchy and a very traditional one at that. Low-borns and high-borns simply did not marry at fear of ruining the economy and the good of the kingdom. The low-borns simply weren't educated the way high-borns were to be leaders. They had to experienced and poised with a lifetime of training behind them.

That was how the council saw it, anyway. 

As for herself, Zelda held experience rather than blood at a higher merit.  Perhaps, it didn't help how much time they got to spend together since her coronation. He'd alluded to going back to his farm at Ordon and possibly wedding a childhood sweetheart and settling down. She knew her Hero better than that, though, and was unsurprised when he returned to her in the castle, Master Sword on his back and determination in his eyes. It was of no mere coincidence that he transformed into a wolf. He was wild and could never settle for an easy or quiet life. He accepted a position as head of the Royal Guard, which while not raising his standings in society much, did place him in a much closer proximity to her. She tried to quell her buzzing mind that he did so of his own separate volition for his own completely unrelated reasons.

They'd started to talk more, of course, but that was because when you destroy a great evil together, you tend to bond. 

She would find him at the stables and they'd talk about literature or politics or really anything. He made her laugh, which was no small feat given her previous traumas, but he was unlike anyone she'd ever met before. It was apparent he was raised in the country aside from his slight dialectal difference. He was laid-back and adventurous, coy and mischievous at times. Always gallant, of course, and never over-stepped. She felt safe and incredibly risky when she was with him and it was like spice and sweet combined in one. If they grazed arms or legs while sitting beside one another, that was nice too.

Purely coincidence, she told herself.

Until her council decided to dash all of that with the mere conversation of producing heirs. In Hyrule, the typical rule of thumb in regards to producing children aligned with the 10th anniversary of your first bleed. 10 years after your first bleed, you were considered of proper age to start a family of your own. It was designed to prevent child-marriages as well as give young girls time to sort themselves out before they take such a large leap. Zelda was 22 and thus that age had come. It seemed to appear overnight. 

Still as ever, she agreed to her council's terms. She did not have much option not to. They would each present a choice of a reputable suitor and she would have her pick from them. 

After calmly accepting that it was the time to start looking for a proper consort, she drowned out the rest of the meeting as the blood seemed to rush to her ears. When the meeting was adjourned, she cancelled a tea time for that day and went straight for her bedroom. She wasn't used to this: to the anxiety that bubbled in her chest or the heat that was permeating across all of her features. She dare felt she might cry at the idea of marrying someone she did not love. When did that become a problem for her? Logically, she knew she would have to. She knew her duties and even accepted them with open arms as she'd been crowned Queen. 

What changed?

She knew the answer, of course and muffled her frustration in her pillow like a teenage girl.

Word must have traveled fast through the castle, because Link, himself, showed up at her doorstep that evening. The lowlight of the evening made his eyes look dark and more primal than usual. His hair was perfectly windswept and she could see the outline of firm muscle even while shrouded by the royal guard uniform. Typically, she wasn't susceptible to his beauty. She catalogued it as common knowledge that he was ridiculously attractive and left it in the back of her mind somewhere to only harvest in dreams. But here, standing outside her door with the knowledge that she couldn't have him combatted with the realization that she'd always wanted him, she wanted nothing more than to drink him in entirely.

"My Queen, I heard you were feeling unwell..." He said quietly and seemed very self-conscious of his decision to be there. She found his nervousness to be very endearing as she'd never seen it before.

Oh, but he knew why, didn't he? Was he aware of her affections towards him even when she was not? Was she waltzing around the castle like the village fool all along when she believed she'd been discrete? Or was he truly that wonderful that he simply cared for how she was feeling at all times, regardless of fate or destiny?

She released a breath and stood tall as she always did. "I grew a tad faint earlier this evening, but I am well now, thank you Sir Link."

He nodded, "How was your meeting?"

"It was..." Her breath hitched and at the furrow of his brow she knew she'd given herself away. "They want me to get married."

His eyes widened just barely and if she wasn't gazing at him and looking for evidence that he returned her fear, she might not have otherwise noticed. He shifted on his feet. This was not expected for him either.

"And what do you want?"

"I want my kingdom to flourish."

"Do you... Do you want to get married?" His voice was low and it triggered a very primal warmth that spread down to her toes. Her face felt hot and her head was screaming a combination of what she wanted and what she  _should_ want. However, at some point in her internal struggle, they aligned into one and suddenly her feelings for him were the only thing in the entire world that made sense to her. It was the one thing she had outside of her Queenly duties that was truly hers and it was to no wonder that her favorite part of the day was whenever she got to see him. 

"Not to any of them." She said quietly and leveled her gaze to his, taking on the strong persona that she'd developed so well. Her fists were balled into her gown for renewed strength and she bit her lower lip, an action that Link's eyes flickered to ever so briefly. 

They stood, suspended on the line of propriety and responsibility, staring at each other as if there was no one else in the entire existence. In a way, it felt like glass grating on her heart and she wondered why people enjoyed the sensation of feeling. She knew it was too late. It had to be too late. She was Queen and he was her knight and they had their positions in this chess game of a government. She would marry some pompous prince or lord that was deemed fitting. She would be the high leader and give the realm children to celebrate. Those children would undergo the same stress she'd gone through and the cycle of insanity would continued weaving- saving Hyrule but killing themselves.

Ah, so it really was a curse.

She opened her mouth to say something proper, to bid him goodnight, perhaps? Because she knew it would be easier to accept this if she wasn't staring in his pained face. However, all that fell off her lips was his name.

"Link..." She breathed and it sounded almost like she was begging him, but to do what? Go? Stay? Move? Her heart thrummed in her chest and she could make note, even in the shadows of the night, of the red blush that climbed across the back of his neck.

He took a bold step towards her and she found she didn't move against this. She stayed firmly in place and kept her eyes glued to his, which as it stood, were practically silver in the moonlight. He reached out a hand to gently stroke her face with the back of his hand. She leaned into his touch instinctually, relishing in how right this wrongful act felt. She'd just been told by her council that they were to find her a suitable consort. This was not at all what they had in mind. Still, something in her must have snapped, because she launched herself at him and enveloped him in her embrace, crushing her mouth against his.

It was not a sweet kiss as she'd seen exchanged between couples in public or in stage productions of romances. It was not even how her own first kiss had gone when she was a young teenager. This was something entirely different. It involved the rough collision of lips, tongues, and even teeth when it all became too intense to stay in line with one another. One of them (she was not aware who), had the bright idea to shut and lock the door to her chambers and they stumbled into her room, Zelda being willingly being led backwards. 

Her hands grappled at any part of him she could reach, tugging hair, nails in his tunic, grasping at his face. Something burned brighter than ever before within her. A life that was usually tinged with a bit of darkness or gray was now incredibly golden, even in the dim-lighting of her room and it all seemed to center around the heat of having him pressed fully against her. While having him in any capacity seemed unreal or impossible a mere hours before, she could not imagine a lifetime where this wasn't occurring. She did not want to know an existence where she didn't know the soft moans Link made when her tongue explored his mouth or the hitch in his breath when her mouth traversed the length of his neck.

"Zelda..." He breathed her name like it was a prayer and without any proper pretense, which caused her to flare even further.

She relished in how rough the surface of his hands were when they were removed of his gloves. Oh Goddess, did that even make an ounce of sense? His hands braved the expanse of her back, but she especially liked when he squeezed her hips. She could feel their warmth through the many fabrics of her gowns, but he still felt impossibly closer than before and she knew then that it was still too far.

Almost throwing him off balance from the whiplash, she spun around and silently ordered him to undo the trappings at the top of her dress. His breath staggered at the implications and she could feel the hesitance in his fingers as they ran up and down her form. 

"You asked me what I wanted," She breathed, her own chest rising and falling at rapid rates. " _This_ is what I want. If it's what you want, that is."

That seemed to be the only thing Link needed to hear before practically ripping through the fabric of her dress in his haste. She turned back to him and shucked off the outer layers, leaving her in a slip and her corsets. She was still mostly covered except for the exposure of her arms and shoulders, but Link still gazed at her hungrily like he'd just found a new bounty of treasure. Understanding the importance of fairness, though, he reached up and flipped his outer tunic off as well.

"This," He breathed against her mouth as he pulled her close and without his thick tunic, she could feel his heart hammering against his chest. It was pleasing to her knowing she'd done that to him. "Is all I've ever wanted."

She ran her hands more reverently than before along his newly exposed arms and onto the thin fabric of his undershirt. "Good."

She didn't have time to ponder if that was a stupid response to say, but she didn't have much practice at this. Instead, though, he captured her mouth in his again and this time they seemed to melt into each other. She did have the presence of mind to guide them away from the open window and towards her bed. She felt her backside bump against the wooden bannister and he suddenly had her fully pressed against it and she could get the essence of all of  _him_ against her leg. 

Zelda was not ashamed to admit she made the most unQueenly noise when he ground his hips into hers. 

So much so, that when he pulled back to gage if she was okay, she wrapped her arms around his neck as if to trap him in her clutches. "Don't you  _dare_ stop."

And Goddess, did she forget how well that man took direction. The budding friction between them made it impossible to kiss, but the developing heat that accompanied his movements was too delicious to pass on. She felt him full and hard against her center at a desperate speed and moved in time with his own sporadic tempo. He buried his face in her neck, kiss, nipping, and  _licking_ her skin in a way that made her mewl. Queens were not supposed to mewl, but all thoughts that were not in succession with abetting the rising heat between them to intensify were lost on her. She clawed at his back for purchase, which was now slick with a sheen of sweat from his own determination. 

She was unbearably hot all over and quickly reached between them to take off her slip. The absence of his body against hers felt like a lifeline tugged just out of range. How was it  _more_ difficult to breathe with him standing away from her with eyes that dug into her soul? His Adam's apple bobbed when she was left in nothing more than her corset and underthings. The flesh of her thighs and legs were now at his full delight, but instead of reaching for them, he tugged on the cords of her corset, freeing the expanse of her torso to him. 

"You're beautiful." He all but growled, which only instigated her arousal. He tugged his shirt over his head and discarded it to the darkness. She didn't care where it went, honestly. It could have evaporated to a new dimension and she would have paid no mind because the sight of his chiseled form in front of her was the most consuming aspect of existence in that moment. He was not smooth skin or pure marble as she seemed to be, but scars and rough skin and signs of a lifetime spent in the sun.

"So are you." She grinned like a cheshire cat going in for the kill. She reached out and grabbed him by the waist of his pants to close the distance between them again- to have that sensation of him even  _closer_ to her made something inside of her flutter. She didn't have a funny understanding of what it was, but she wanted to feel that way again. His hands wandered over the fresh skin open to him in wonder, roaming and grasping and feeling whether it be ribs, thighs or daringly enough, the padded feel of her breasts beneath his touch. She couldn't seem to decide where she wanted him exactly, because every inch of her body seemed to appreciate his presence, but she practically keened at the way his thumb and forefinger thrummed at a nipple over her bra. Her mouth breathed hotly against his as he tested the waters in this movement and let one hand keep a firm grip on her waist. She replicated this grasp in his hair, fisting locks of lovely blond hair in between her fingers and tugging. He grunted against her mouth and slipped his hand down from her breast to her hip, a finger toying with the waistband of her underwear.

She honestly thought she might go faint at the mere implications let alone the actual act of him touching her. He stilled again and she realized he was watching her again, deciding if this was okay. While her frenzied mind made it impossible to give him a verbal answer, she nodded hastily, which caused his own head to bob. He wordlessly continued his descent into the source of her heat and released a breathy gasp at the feel of her. Zelda, who felt out-of-body just having the pleasure of feeling this, finally found her words- though not many.

" _Oh."_ She gasped and Link took at as his cue to move.

His course and nimble fingers carefully explored her, testing what was effective based on her intakes of breath and the tightness of her hold on him. He tried to keep kissing her, to keep his own mouth busy with something, but found he was having difficulty focusing on the act due to the overwhelming sensation of touching his Queen- his  _love_ \- at her most vulnerable and that the little breathy sounds that escaped her were because of  _him_. It was enough to make his dick feel unbearably confined, but he pushed through it and tried to relish on the presence of feeling her.

She was warm and welcoming- the opposite of what the general public felt of her- but he'd fight any one of them to the death, for she was the most amazing thing he'd ever felt. He discovered her entrance and toyed a finger at the opening, making her head bump against the bannister again. He didn't insert his finger fully, though, and instead continued his feel of her. He committed to a small bundle of nerves that made her whimper, which in all of his time knowing her, he'd never heard her do. He laid his palm flat on her front and used his pointer finger to slowly swirl circles into the small bud. She gasped and writhed a bit, determined to increase the tempo that he was purposefully taking very slow.

"Fuck." She said through gritted teeth and tried to apply her own aid by pushing down against his hand. He complied a bit by speeding up and thrumming various symbols and sweet words into the formations he made against her. She didn't have the presence of mind to begin deciphering any kind of code.  She was putty in his hands and she would have it no other way. The rough pads of his fingertips against her slick core was a combination she never knew she needed until now.

She smacked her forehead on his shoulder when he sped up his strokes- now a full-blown hand endeavor. His entire palm moved up and down her front and she ground into him, whimpering and breathing his name like it was a prayer. He tugged her underwear off in a swift movement to make the act easier for him. She was inching closer and closer to a glorious release of life and gold that she never knew was so attainable until now. She no longer believed it was magic or blood that coursed through her veins, but fire. Fire for him and fire for the sinful things his hand was doing to her to make her quiver and moan and not care how unbecoming being so wet and needy could be. She bit into his shoulder, causing him to moan on his own accord and stutter his movements. When he didn't resume his previous ministrations where she wanted him, she made a displeased sound in the back of her throat.

"Link, I swear to-"

It was quickly remedied when his hands slipped down her bum and under her thighs to lift her off her feet, emitting a squeak from her. For a blessed moment, her slick core was against his warm abdomen. He smiled against her mouth and deposited her carefully against the surface of her bed. The way he looked at her as he hovered above her reminded her of a wolf hunting his prey. She sat up only to remove her bra and make herself completely up for grabs. She wanted nothing more than to feel him. He undid the belt on his pants and slipped out of his trousers.

Even in the darkness of her room, she could see his obvious arousal through his briefs. She licked her lips at the sight of him, which brought the most charming reddish hue across his chest. She never felt more powerful in that moment, including their destruction of Ganon and her coronation and any magic she'd ever wielded. Any of it. None of it compared to the look of absolute  _need_ on his face as he raked his eyes over her vulnerable form. 

He slowly flipped his briefs off, making them evenly displayed and she felt her own blush reaching the tip of her ears. As he crawled over her, his erect cock brushed against her inner thigh. She leaned back, still feeling like a meal about to be ravished, and laid her head down on the pillow. When he appeared directly over her and their noses brushed against one another, a certain shyness returned for the first time. He nuzzled her nose with his own and she gently kissed him. It was the most tender they'd been with one another and it ignited thrice the amount of flames that any of the heady kisses had. Her hands roved his muscular body, taking great appreciation at his form and hard work. He really was a blessing of a man and this was even further emboldened when her hand circled his dick. 

He groaned and something about having him, the Hero of their kingdom, in her hands and at her will, sent electricity through her veins. He was so impossibly beautiful and loyal and more than anything did she want to see him well-paid for his efforts. She began fisting him carefully, taking note of his reactions and what the appropriate grip was. She paid careful attention to the head, as that seemed to draw out the best results before slipping into a practiced tunneling motion that made him practically wheeze against her collarbone. 

"If you-" He struggled. "If you keep that up, this will be over far before it starts, your majesty."

Oh, and she definitely did not want to be over. His fringe was coated in sweat but she ran her hands through his hair regardless and he gave her another searing kiss before using a hand to separate her legs. She willingly obliged, of course, and waited with anticipation as he lined himself up to her slick entrance. She raised her hips to meet him, encircling him entirely and releasing a sharp breath- not completely from pleasure- at accepting the whole of him. There was no dispute that his whine was completely in rapture.

Paying mind to her stiffness and tightness, he quickly tried to readjust them to a more comfortable position for her. When he thrust back into her, that showed promise. She raised her heel to push him further and moaned at the fullness of him. She grasped his shoulders for purchase.

"Move." She ordered through a strained voice.

Sure enough, that was even better. His thrusts started slow and steady, not wanting to hurt her, but at her insistence, became more sporadic. He slipped a hand between them, using the other to hold himself above her, and stroked her bud haphazardly. Her toes curled the silk sheets beneath her and she dug her nails into his shoulder blades. His mouth closed around one of her nipples and swirled his filthy tongue in succession somehow with whatever ungodly things his hand was doing.

Between him pumping in and out of her, muttering obscenities and compliments, alike, as well as her name, and the glorious feeling of his skilled fingers stroking her closer to oblivion, she felt like she was positively glowing. Oh, she loved the sound of her name on his tongue. She would do just about anything to hear him breathe against her like she was the Goddess, herself. 

"I love you." He breathed against her.

She raised his face to meet hers. "And I love you."

He had a pained look on his face that was from pure concentration. His hips snapped against hers almost violently and hitting a spot within her that caused her to see white. The golden heavens seemed to open as the fire that erupted across her skin felt pleasantly consuming and waves of beauty seemed to reverberate through her. She arched her back and he moved his mouth from hers as her cries echoed through the room followed by a slew of breathy takes on his name. It was glorious and free. She felt like air, itself, tasted differently as she rode this wave of euphoria to its fullest. He continued riding her through it before finding his own release with a stuttered shout and pistoled into her. 

They stilled and the stars finally started to subside from her vision. She was graced with a very sweaty Link gazing down at her. It took a lot of concentration to kiss him, because she felt incredibly sensitive. She winced when he moved out of her. He flopped on his back, breathing heavily as he stared at her ceiling. She trusted her instincts and cuddled into his side. He wrapped an arm around her.

"That was..." She was going to say something like  _amazing_ or  _other-worldly_ , but Link beat her to the punch.

"Impossible?" He breathed a little laugh though, so she didn't feel her chest tighten. Instead, she leaned forward and kissed his chest.

"And yet, here we are."

"What are we going to do next?" He sighed and looked at her, "I'd have you in any capacity. Even if just for one night. If that's all you can give me."

Her heart tugged in all directions. "No, we'll figure something out."


End file.
